The Road Trip
by Rogue11
Summary: AU. During a little trip in his new car Milliardo and Treize solve another mystery in the Ghost Detective series
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks to Kt for proofing this story.

**Happy Treize and Zechs day!**

'The Road Trip' is a short story set in my Ghost Detective universe to celebrate June 13th, which coincidentally in this universe is also Milliardo's birthday. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**The Road Trip  
**  
Chapter 1

With a yawn Milliardo slowly opened one eye then the other. A few rays of sunshine that had made their way through the partially drawn shades had woken him.

"Good morning!"

The young man turned his head. In the bed beside him, Treize had pushed himself up on one elbow, regarding him with a soft smile.

"Good morning to you too." Milliardo stifled another yawn. "What are you doing?"

"Watching you. Do you have any idea how incredibly beautiful you look when you are asleep?"

"Alright...! That's very flattering, I guess...in a creepy kind of way. But what I really meant was, what are you still doing here in bed? Shouldn't you be in school or at least be getting ready for it?"

"Finals are over. I got a lot of overtime saved up, so I figured I would start my vacation a little early."

Vacation, right. They were planning on flying to the Hamptons where Treize's mother was currently staying, and spend a few days there at the family's summer estate. Milliardo, who had yet to meet any part of the Khushrenada family, had to admit he was more than just a little anxious about it.

"Besides," his lover added. "I really wanted to be with you today. You know what day it is, don't you?"

The younger man's lips curved into a soft smile. "I **do** know. And since it IS my birthday, and Alexander and Cabal will be spending the next few days with Quatre and Trowa how about..." His smile took on a seductive expression and his voice turned into a soft purr "staying in bed the whole day."

"Tempting, very tempting." Treize returned the smirk. "But I actually had a little idea of my own."

"Oh?"

"How about spending the **morning** in bed, and then... Since the weather is so perfect for a little road trip...why don't we climb in that Ferrari of yours and see how fast it can go on an empty country road...?"

Milliardo gave an amused huff. "Was that invitation meant for Heero? I don't own a Ferrari."

"You do now!" The professor's grin widened as he dangled a little keychain with the red and black Ferrari logo in front of his lover's nose. "Happy Birthday!"

Milliardo's jaw nearly dropped. A gasp of surprise escaped his lips. "Treize, you are crazy!" he exclaimed.

A low chuckle bubbled in the other man's throat. "A simple 'Thank you!' would have sufficed."

"How is this for a thank you?" Milliardo reached out to pull his lover closer, cupping the back of the other man's head with one hand while he leaned in to cover Treize's mouth with his own.

Moaning in delight Treize closed his eyes as he parted his lips slightly to allow Milliardo's tongue to slip between them. Slender fingers buried themselves in his hair. He snaked his arms around his lover's body embracing him tightly. When lack of air finally forced them to break their kiss both men were smiling.

"That..." the professor panted breathlessly. "Made every penny worth spending."

Milliardo laughed as he snatched up the car keys that had slipped from the other man's fingers and jumped out of bed. "What are you waiting for? I could have sworn you said something about a road trip?"

"What happened to spending the morning in bed?"

"It's highly overrated. From what I've heard people spend nearly 1/3rd of their life in bed anyway."

"You will allow me to shower and get dressed before we leave, now won't you?" Treize inquired, his voice laced with amusement and sarcasm.

"If you must," his lover shot back as he pulled a pair of boxers and a T shirt from the dresser. "But you'd better hurry if you don't want me to leave you behind."

###

"Treize, I've got an idea," Milliardo announced as he reached across the table for the pepper mill

After a few rounds around Kensington plaza and a quick drive up Quail Hill to show off the new ride to their friends the whole gang had ended up at Mimi's for a little impromptu birthday breakfast.

"Oh?" The professor looked at his lover questioningly over his coffee cup.

"How about we drive out to the Hamptons?"

"Drive?" Treize echoed.

The other man nodded. "We could leave this afternoon, snuggle up at some cozy little road side motel for the night and be there some time tomorrow."

"You do realize that means we will have to drive back as well?"

Milliardo shrugged. "It's not really that bad. Besides, it will give me a chance to really let this baby run."

"I take it then this 'baby' is a keeper? You know, I have got a little arrangement with the dealer. We can return it if you don't like it."

"Don't like it?" Milliardo snorted. "You have got to be joking! I LOVE it. If you want that car back you will have to pry the keys from my cold dead fingers."

The professor laughed.

"I told you." Duo Maxwell grinned.

"You knew I was getting a car?"

"Of course," the young man confirmed. "We all knew, after all we did help pick it after all."

"I thought it was your idea, Treize?"

"It was, Dear. I knew what I wanted to get you but needed some opinions on the model and color. Besides, I figured Heero probably knows a lot more sports car dealers than I do."

"I don't know why everyone assumes that." Heero gave a shrug. "It's not like I'm buying sport scars by the dozen or so."

"No Dear," Duo patted his lover's back. "You just own them by the dozen."

"But technically most of them belonged to my grandfather. I only inherited them. The only car I ever bought on my own is Wing, just because he never would have let me have it while he was still alive."

"You name your cars?" Trowa smirked.

"You don't?"

"No, but he names his guns!" Quatre announced, earning himself a glare from his friend and bodyguard

"Seriously? Like what?" Duo wanted to know.

"Well let me see... There is Heavyarms and...ouch!"

This time his friend had emphasized his glare with a kick under the table, but Quatre wasn't that easily intimidated.

"He even talks to them while he is cleaning them," he blurted out before Trowa could kick him again.

"I do NOT," the young man insisted. "Well, maybe I talk a little to myself while I am cleaning my guns, but that's different."

"**Totally** different!" Duo didn't even bother hiding his grin.

It went on like that for another few minutes until Treize pulled out his wallet. "As much fun as it is to find out about everyone's funky little secrets, I'm afraid if Milliardo is serious about driving all the way to the Hamptons we really ought to be going. We still have to pack, too. But that doesn't mean you guys have to rush. I will tell the waitress to put the bill on my credit card. So you guys have fun, okay."

"That shouldn't be too hard," Duo smirked. "Happy Birthday, Milliardo. Have fun with that new car and also meeting your future mother in law."

The tall blonde winced. "Thanks a lot, Maxwell. I had almost managed to forget about that." He turned toward Quatre and Trowa as he rose from his chair. "Now remember, if Cabal or Alexander give you any trouble... any trouble at all you call us and we will come back right away."

"Don't worry," Quatre assured the young man. "They have never given us any problems before."

_Yeah, I know. But one can hope..._

###

"How does it feel?" Treize asked a few hours later when the little silver bullet was flying over the I-70.

"Unbelievable." Milliardo smiled. "You know, compared to this, my old car drives like a brain-dead rhino."

The other man laughed, it was a pleasant and bubbling sound.

"Do you want to try it?" the blond offered.

"Thanks." Treize shook his head, a soft smile on his lips. "I'll take over later. For now, you enjoy."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Besides, I already tried it. You didn't think I bought this car without taking it on a nice long test drive, now did you?"

"Actually," Milliardo admitted. "I was wondering about that. Somehow I never imagined you as the sports car kind of guy."

Another laugh. "I am not completely against sports care, just because I prefer the luxury and comfort of a Mercedes or BMW. In fact, I do enjoy going fast every once in a while."

"Oh really? Well then," the younger man grinned as he switched gears. "Let's see what this baby can do, shall we?" He stepped onto the gas and the sound of the V8 engine changed from the purr of a kitten to the roar of a lion as the needle on the speedometer moved past the 100mph mark.

The highway was empty and hadn't passed another vehicle for miles, but suddenly there was a pair of headlights in the rear view mirror...a pair of headlights, firmly attached to the front end of a Ford Crown Victoria in the blue and gold colors of the state police.

The young man swallowed a curse as he slowed down. "Any chance he didn't notice?"

No such luck. The police car flashed his lights signaling him to pull over. It pulled up directly behind them, and Milliardo could see the uniform clad officer flip open his gun holster as he approached.

Exchanging a quick gaze with his lover, the blond decided it was best to keep his hands nicely visible on the steering wheel. He rolled down the window as the officer knocked at it.

"Please turn off the engine, Sir."

Milliardo complied. The trooper bent down to take a look at Treize in the passenger seat then turned his attention back to the younger man. His eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses and it was hard to read his face.

"License and registration please," he demanded flatly and then as Milliardo handed him the papers he added. "We were in a bit of a hurry there, weren't we? Are you aware what our speed limit is?"

"70 I believe."

"Do you also know how fast you were driving when I clocked you?"

"I'm afraid I don't know." Milliardo lied, although he was pretty sure it was almost twice as fast as he should have been driving."

"Let's just say I was almost expecting you to take off any moment, Mister... Peacecraft." The trooper seemed to have at least some sense of humor.

"I'm sorry."

His eyes still on the driver's license the trooper finally noticed the day of birth and looked up.

"Its your birthday today!"

"Yeah. And I just got the car this morning and... No, that really isn't an excuse, is it?"

"You are right, it isn't. I will be right back."

The man walked back to his cruiser, probably to check for any outstanding warrants or tickets when his radio came on. He talked to someone for several minutes before returning to hand Milliardo his papers along with a speeding ticket.

"Happy birthday! I hope it was worth it." He bent down to focus on Treize one more time. "If he is your friend you might want to make sure he slows down, and lives to see his next one."

With that the man tipped his hat and left. He climbed into the police car and took off with flashing lights and blaring sirens, making Milliardo wonder if something had happened.

The young man sighed as he folded up the ticket and stuffed it into the glove compartment. - He never understood why it was called a glove compartment, considering people seemed to use it to store anything but gloves.

"Well, I suppose it could have been worse ."

"Don't worry. I will take care of it."

"No," Milliardo shook his head. "As much as I appreciate the offer, I'm going to pay it myself. However, if you don't mind taking the wheel for a while?"

"Of course not."

"There should be a gas station coming up, shouldn't there?"

"Are we running on empty already?" Treize asked, surprised. _I knew sports cars were known to be gas guzzlers, but... _

"No," Milliardo grinned. "But all that coffee I had for breakfast is finally catching up with me."

"Well, let me check the GPS, I think there is a rest stop only a few miles ahead."

##

The rest stop Treize was referring to consisted of a gas station, with a small convenient store, a playground where kids who had been sitting inside a car for too long had a chance to stretch their legs, and a little sitting area with several picnic benches and umbrellas. The bathrooms, located on the other side of the building were locked and Milliardo had to go get the key from the gas station attendant.

"I'm going to get something to drink, do you want something too?" the older man asked.

"A bottle of water maybe for later, oh and some chips."

"You got it," Treize nodded as he disappeared into the Quicky Mart.

When Milliardo returned from the restroom a few minutes later the other man was sitting at one of the wooden tables sipping lemonade from a glass big enough to quench the thirst of an elephant, and a young boy about 9 or 10 years old was hanging around his Ferrari. Milliardo watched the kid suspiciously as he walked over to the table.

"It's alright." His lover seemed to be reading his mind. "I have been keeping my eye on him. He is just looking."

And sure enough a few minutes later the boy's curiosity seemed to be satisfied. He ran off, disappearing behind the gas station where the playground was located.

#

"Those were pretty good, you should have had some." Milliardo bunched the now empty chips bag into a ball, tossing it skillfully into the nearby trashcan before flopping down in a patch of grass behind the picnic bench.

"You are going to get grass stains all over your pants," his lover warned.

The young man simply shrugged, too lazy to care. He interlaced his fingers behind his head and stared into the blue pre-summer sky.

"Doesn't this look like a dog?"

"What does?"

"The cloud above us. See there is the head, the ears and you can see a little tail."

Treize crooked his head as he gazed up as well. "Hmm... Looks more like a dragon's head to me."

"A dragon's head?"

"Yeah, see there is even a tiny puff of smoke coming from its mouth."

" I guess so." Milliardo laughed softly. "I remember doing this for hours when we were kids, watching the clouds with my friends and making up stories about what our imagination made us see. Haven't done it in ages, though."

"It's one of those things you just outgrow, I suppose." The other man shrugged as he settled down next to him. "Or perhaps it just isn't considered fashionable to spend your time cloud-watching when you are an adult."

"Who cares?" Milliardo glanced at him briefly then back into the sky. " Look, now it's turning into a giant ship. But what about getting grass stains on your pants?"

The professor grinned softly. "Who cares."

They both laughed.

"Thanks, Treize. And I don't mean just for the car. This past year has been... incredible, you know. I just can't imagine not having you by my site anymore."

"Thanks," Treize snaked one of his arms around his lover's waist as the young man moved closer to rest his head on his chest. "I feel the same about you, Milliardo. You have changed my life in more ways than you can even imagine."

"For the better I hope."

A tiny smirk curved the older man's lips. "Mostly for the better."

Milliardo gave a low, bubbling laugh. "I can live with that. Say, we are in no hurry, right?"

"Not particularly. Mother isn't expecting us until around dinner time tomorrow."

"Good, then maybe we should see if we can't find us a motel room somewhere nearby, before we get another ticket... for indecent exposure." Milliardo nuzzled his lover's neck before softly whispering into his ear. "Because if we stay here like this for much longer there might be a real danger of me starting to rip off your clothes."

One of Treize's eyebrows jumped up in amusement. "We can't have that now, can we?"

* * *

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks to Kt for proofing this story.

'The Road Trip' is a short story set in my Ghost Detective universe to celebrate June 13th, which coincidentally in this universe is also Milliardo's birthday. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**The Road Trip  
**  
Chapter 2

The nearest motel turned out to be a cozy little bed and breakfast just off the interstate. The parking lot was nearly empty except for a large 18-wheeler and a silver-grey family van. Treize paid for the night even though they weren't planning on staying for more than a few hours, and the friendly old lady at the reception desk handed him an actual key, with their room number hand painted on a little wooden plaque. She asked if they needed someone to bring up their luggage and he told her that wouldn't be necessary.

"Well then I hope you have a pleasant stay."

"I'm sure we will," Milliardo replied with a smile.

They found their room on the second floor all the way at the end of the hall.

_Great, at least we won't be disturbing anyone_.

"So," Treize locked the door behind himself and set his overnight bag down beside Milliardo's. "What was it you were saying about ripping off my clothes?"

##

Carefully Treize peeked through the slightly ajar door into the bedroom just after he had stepped out of the shower. Milliardo was still fast asleep. In fact it looked as though the young man hadn't even moved since he had left the bed. He watched silently for a few more moments before retreating back to the sink to brush his teeth.

_When he raised his head he was sitting right in front of him...big brown eyes looking at him from beneath long, shaggy hair, a black wet nose twitching slightly, and a long bushy tail brushing the ground slowly._

_"Hello there, aren't you a pretty one?" Reaching out slowly so as not to startle the dog Milliardo smiled. He looked around for the animal's owner, but there was no one nearby. "What are you doing out here, all by yourself?" he asked as his finger's scratched behind those shaggy ears. "You aren't lost, are you?"_

_He noticed a band around the dogs neck, dark brown and made from leather, a expensive looking collar. There was a small golden metal plate attached to it and on it the word 'Lucky' was engraved in bold letters. Milliardo's fingertips brushed over the tag as he read it._

_"Lucky huh? Are you really?"_

_The animal crocked his head, ears perked at the sound of his name. As the young man reached up to pet his head the dog suddenly stood, seized his wrist gently and tugged. _

_Milliardo laughed."Are you trying to play a game?" He freed himself and looked around for a stick, finding one just a few feet away. But when he threw the piece of wood the dog did not chase after it as he had expected. Instead the animal gave one sharp bark before once again grabbing him by his hand and tugging as though it was urging him to come along. _

_The young man frowned, but as he slowly started to follow the dog the animal led him into the brush. From time to time he would stop, look over his shoulder and wait for Milliardo to catch up._

_"Where are we going?"_

_The animal gave another bark, and then disappeared between a group of trees and the young man had to hurry to not be left behind._

_Something tickled the back of his neck and Milliardo slapped at it thinking that maybe a spider or tic had fallen onto him from one of the trees. _

_Somewhere someone chuckled and a familiar voice urged him to wake up _

"Come on, Sleepyhead, the shower is free." Treize leaned in to blow against Milliardo's neck one more time. He was sitting at the edge of the bed, already fully dressed. The young man finally stirred and opened his eyes.

"Treize!"

"Who did you expect?" he asked in amusement.

"I don't know." Milliardo yawned. "I had a dream."

"I figured that much. Who is Lucky?"

"A dog." The young man rolled over onto his back.

"Oh? What kind of dog?"

"I don't know, a mutt or maybe some kind of sheepdog. He was very friendly, though."

"Haven't your parents ever told you to stay away from stray dogs?" The professor reprimanded jokingly. "It could have had rabies or worse."

Milliardo snorted as he interlaced his hands behind his head. "It was not a stray. He had a collar. But there was something weird about it..." He told his lover about the way the dog had acted, urging him to follow it into the woods. "Do you think it has some kind of hidden meaning?"

"I wouldn't worry too much about it." Treize told him with a soft smile. "You probably have dogs on your mind because you are missing Cabal. And now it's time you get that cute little butt of yours in the shower, while I go and see if they have something to eat at this place."

####

"Not again!" Milliardo cursed and instinctively slowed down at the sight of the blue and gold car by the side of the row.

"Relax, Dear. You haven't been speeding. In fact, if you go any slower they might stop you for breaking the minimum speed limit." Treize told him jokingly.

The blond snorted. "From your mouth to God's ear."

A few moments later however, as they got closer, the young man realized the state trooper wasn't there to stop traffic but rather re-direct it around what seemed to be a large group of law enforcement members, including sheriff's vehicles, troopers on horseback and even ATVs. Milliardo counted about twenty or so men in green or olive uniforms and at least another dozen dressed in civilian clothes. most of them were huddling together looking at maps or something g from what he could see.

"I wonder what's going on?"

"Let's ask." Treize suggested.

Milliardo agreed but when he stopped he suddenly realized the man directed traffic was the same one who had ticketed him earlier for speeding.

However, by then the trooper seemed to have recognized him too. He came over to the Ferrari, even took off his sunglasses as he leaned down to talk to the young man.

"So we meet again. I'm glad to see you seemed to have discovered the brake-pedal on your new car."

"Yeah," Milliardo somehow managed a polite smile. "What's going on here, if I may ask?"

The trooper turned serious in a heartbeat. "We are looking for a missing child."

"A child?" the young man echoed.

"Yes. A young boy from the next town. Didn't come home last night and his parents called the sheriff."

"Hmm...," Treize mused. "That boy, he wouldn't have been nine or ten years old by any chance, would he? Short dark hair..."

"Did you see him?"

"I'm not sure." The professor exchanged a look with Milliardo. "The kid at the rest stop?"

"Why don't you find yourself a parking spot," the trooper suggested. "I will go get the man in charge. He knows more about this than I do, and he probably can show you a picture."

Treize nodded. "Of course."

As Milliardo turned and pulled up between two 4x4 jeeps the trooper walked over to the larger group of officers. He spoke with someone for a few minutes, gesturing in their direction at one point. Moments later a tall man with brown wavy hair, dressed in the olive green uniform of the sheriff's department, separated from the group and came toward their car.

Milliardo frowned slightly.

"Otto?" he suddenly asked.

The man stopped in his track for a brief moment then a smile of recognition crossed his face. "Milliardo? Well, I'll be ... What are you doing out here?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing. Look at you. You are the sheriff here?"

"No, no. I'm just a deputy."

"But the trooper said you are in charge..?."

"True. Of all the times, Sheriff Hubert had to pick this week to take his wife on that Caribbean cruise he had promised her for years..."

In the passenger seat Treize cleared his throat, and Milliardo suddenly seemed to remember that he wasn't alone in the car.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Otto, this is my friend Treize Khushrenada. Treize meet Otto. He and I grew up together. We went to school together until his family moved before our senior year in High School. We haven't seen each other since."

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

The deputy nodded at Treize. "The pleasure is mine. Now the Trooper said you might have seen Logan Blaine, our missing boy?"

"We saw **A** boy," the professor corrected. "roughly nine or ten years of age, about 15 miles from here at a rest stop. I only noticed him because he seemed curious about Milliardo's car."

"Was he alone? I mean did you see anyone with him? Did it seem as though someone was holding him against his will?"

"No, he certainly seemed to be running around freely. But if he was alone..." Treize shrugged. "There were a couple of cars filling up and there might also have been people in the Quicky Mart he could have been with... I'm sorry, I'm afraid I didn't pay that much attention."

Meanwhile the deputy had pulled out a flier with a photo of the boy and handed it off to Milliardo. "The picture was taken about three months ago, according to his parents."

The young man studied the photograph but shook his head as he passed it on to his lover. "It's difficult to say."

"Yes," Treize agreed. "I couldn't be sure either. I wish I had gotten a better look."

"Don't worry about it," Otto assured him. "At least it's a lead. I will send someone to check it out right away."

"Umm... Should we stick around, just I case?" Milliardo wanted to know.

"No, I don't think that will be necessary. Just leave me your number. I will call you and let you know how it turns out."

"Thanks," Milliardo nodded as he scribbled his cell phone number on the back of the flyer and handed it back to Otto. "And listen, when this is over and things have slowed down for you we've got to get together."

"Absolutely," the deputy agreed. "I can't wait to hear what you have been up to these past few years."

###

"So, tell me about Otto." Treize asked once they were back on the Interstate.

"Not much to tell." Milliardo shrugged. "We were friends growing up, just like I said."

" Just friends?"

The young man didn't answer and that was answer enough.

"What does it matter?" Milliardo finally asked.

"It doesn't. I was just curious, because you have never mentioned him before."

"I hadn't seen or talked to him in years. Besides..." The blonde suddenly slowed down as he noticed something at the side of the road.

"Besides what?"

"Hold on." Milliardo stopped the car and rolled down the window. "I know this place."

"What?" The professor frowned, obviously confused.

"My dream, remember the one I told you about? This is where I met that dog."

"Milliardo," Treize replied, his voice soft and gentle like he was speaking to a young child. "We are on the Interstate in the middle of nowhere. The area around us looks no different than the past miles behind us and the next few miles ahead of us. Nothing but trees and grass and brush."

"No," the younger man insisted. "I am positive. See that little group of rocks in that clearing, the ones that almost look like a miniature Stonehenge? That's where I was sitting when I saw the dog." He put the car in reverse then pulled to the far right shoulder of the road.

"What are you doing?"

"I need to check something out," Milliardo told him as he turned off the motor and climbed out of the Ferrari.

"Milliardo," the professor tried again. "It was a dream."

"Then how come everything here is exactly as I remember it?"

"Perhaps you have been here before? Maybe on a road trip with your parents?"

"I don't think so. No, something is very strange about all this."

Treize sighed. But deciding to humor his lover he left the car as well, following Milliardo as he walked the 50 or so yards to the rock formation he had been referring to.

The young man looked around. "That's the way we were heading when you woke me. I remember that gnarly old tree."

Giving another sigh the professor was tempted to point out that he could see at least a dozen of gnarly old trees, but his lover was already heading further into the woods.

Trying to orientate himself by landmarks that seemed familiar Milliardo tried to follow what he believed to be the same path he had taken in his dream. But it wasn't easy. Just as Treize pointed out almost everything looked very similar. He came to a point where he was just about to give up when he suddenly noticed some movement from the corner of his eye. His head snapped around and for a brief moment he could have sworn he saw a flash of grey, a bushy tail perhaps, disappearing between the trees.

"Did you see that?" He asked his lover who had just about caught up with him.

"See what?"

"Never mind. This way." Forging ahead through the brush Milliardo finally reached what looked like an old overgrown path. He followed it slowly, keeping an eye out for any sign of the dog. A good hundred yards further the path ended. The young man looked around. Behind him he could hear the sound of Treize's footsteps.

"Slow down, Milliardo."

He held his step, almost convinced now that his imagination had been playing tricks on him when he suddenly saw it again. The shaggy grey dog was wagging his tail, standing about a dozen yards away next to a large boulder.

"There, do you see it now?" Milliardo threw a triumphant look back over his shoulder.

"See what?" The other man repeated, a puzzled expression on his face.

"The dog, what else?"

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"But he is right..." The blond turned his head only to find that the animal was gone.

"Milliardo you are starting to scare me. Let's go back, shall we?"

* * *

TBC

Authors note: As for most of my stories that include sexual scenes this chapter has been slightly altered to comply with the rules on this website. The original version can be found on my Gundam wing fanfiction website. The address can be found on my profile page. Do a search for Rogue11 there to find all of my stories.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks to Kt for proofing this story.

'The Road Trip' is a short story set in my Ghost Detective universe to celebrate June 13th, which coincidentally in this universe is also Milliardo's birthday. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**The Road Trip  
**  
Chapter 3

"No, he was just here. He probably just ran off again."

As Milliardo approached the boulder the dog had been standing next to, he nearly tripped when his foot got tangled in something solid hidden in the grass.

"Damn it!" He cursed but somehow managed to keep his balance.

"What is it?"

" I'm not sure." The young man bent down to check. "It's a bicycle. A child's bike it seems."

"A bike?" Treize echoed. "Out here?"

"Yeah, I know." Milliardo pulled the vehicle up by its handlebar. It didn't look brand new, but neither did it seem to have been exposed to the elements for long. "It hasn't been here very long either."

As the two men looked around the professor suddenly noticed something like a large hole in the ground. "What's that?"

Milliardo shrugged as he moved closer to investigate. "A burrow, maybe a cave?"

Something like a metal grate seemed to have covered the opening at one point, but it looked like the cover had been removed a long time ago and was not rusting beside it. When he looked into the hole the young man could see the ground. It was no more than a few feet deep, but leading deeper underground on a sloped path.

_Maybe this is where the dog disappeared into?_ Milliardo mused. The opening was certainly large enough for an animal. For a grown adult like him it would be a tight squeeze, but past it the cave looked spacious enough.

"I'm going to check it out!"

"Hold on, Milliardo." Treize stopped him. "There is a flashlight in the car. Let me get it."

"Good idea. Catch!" The young man nodded as he tossed his lover the car keys. "I will wait here."

#

Treize fell into a easy trot as he headed back to the Ferrari, hoping Milliardo was smart enough not to try entering that cave before he got back.

Perhaps it was the soldier in him that saw danger in a different way than most people and he knew that being prepared could mean the difference between life and death. It was that kind of thinking that made him always keep an emergency kit in his car. And in spite of Milliardo teasing about it he had insisted on taking it along when they packed the Ferrari for their trip.

It was only a small backpack, just big enough to hold a first aid kit with emergency blanket, a flashlight, water, and a couple of emergency meals.

Treize pressed the button on the remote that opened the car's trunk and pulled out the little green bag. Making sure the Ferrari was locked again he threw the backpack over his shoulder and started his hike back. All in all it could have taken him no more than 5 or 6 minutes.

#

For Milliardo, who was waiting by the entrance of the cave however, time seemed to be moving in a different pace.

Impatiently he checked his watch before looking back for his lover. _What is taking him so long? If there is another way out of this cave that dog could be anywhere by now. _

Leaning over the opening in the ground, the young man put his hands in front of his mouth like a megaphone. "Lucky!" He called out, then again, louder this time. "Lucky, here boy! LUCKY !"

Milliardo wasn't exactly sure what he expected but he certainly wasn't prepared for an answer.

"Help? ...Someone...?"

The voice was low, barely audible, but he was sure that it was not just an echo.

"Hello?" He answered. "Can you hear me? Is someone in there?"

"Yeah. I need help."

"Hold on." Milliardo didn't hesitate. "I'm coming in."

With a last look back over his shoulder the young man squeezed through the opening, jumped and landed on solid ground. The ceiling was so low he had to duck his head, and he brushed his shoulders more than once against the walls as he followed the sloped path leading deeper into the cave.

_Good thing I'm not claustrophobic._

As he got further it was almost pitch black around him.

"Where are you?"

"Down here!" Came the voice from only a few feet away. It was the voice of a child, a boy who didn't seem to have entered puberty yet. "Be careful the ground is slippery and there is a drop in the floor. That's how I got stuck here."

Milliardo held his step. "Thanks for the warning."

Probing the ground carefully in front of his feet he moved ahead slowly until he felt the edge of the drop the boy had been talking about.

"You wouldn't by any chance be Logan Blaine, would you?"

"That's me," the voice from below confirmed. "But who are you? I didn't realize anyone knew about this cave."

"Well lucky for you we found your bike outside in the woods. My name is Milliardo by the way. You know, your parents, the sheriff and probably half of your town is looking for you."

"Oh darn."

"Milliardo?" Suddenly there was a light where the entrance of the cave had to be.

"Treize, get down here, quick! But watch your step."

"Why in the world didn't you wait for me?" The light got brighter as it got closer.

#

Angry wasn't exactly the right word to describe how Treize Khushrenada was feeling. Irritated, yes and also frustrated. "Milliardo how immature can you get. Running off..."

"Hush," his lover replied. "You can yell at me later."

"Who is that?" A third voice suddenly asked.

Treize, who had already opened his mouth, swallowed the sharp remark he had on his tongue, confusion clearly written across his face.

"That's my friend, Treize." Don't worry, he doesn't bite, and his bark isn't really that scary either." Milliardo turned toward the older man "Treize, meet Logan Blaine. He fell down this hole or something and can't get out on his own."

Treize directed the beam of his flashlight onto the floor to examine the ground. There was not actually a hole but rather a drop of the entire cave floor. The edges were smooth and stabilized by wood, telling him that this didn't happen naturally, but had been man-made some time ago.

Luckily the drop wasn't as deep as he had feared; only about 6 or 7 feet. Then the light caught the figure of the boy. Treize wasn't sure how well the kid could see him, nevertheless he put on what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Hey there, are you alright?"

"I think so, I'm hungry and thirsty. You wouldn't have anything to drink, would you? And I think...no I'm pretty sure I broke my leg. It hurts like crazy when I touch it."

"Then don't touch it, for god sake." The professor slipped off his backpack "I'm going down," he declared firmly as he handed the flashlight off to Milliardo. "Hold this for me."

"Be careful."

"Don't worry I'll be fine." Treize could have jumped down if not for the fact that he wasn't sure about the conditions of the ground below. Not wanting to take the risk of landing on a sharp rock and injuring himself, he decided to slowly descend over the edge and then drop just the last foot or so.

"Backpack, Milliardo!" he demanded once he stood on solid ground again. "I'm going to check out the boy. You go call the sheriff and 911, we will surely need an ambulance."

"Got it!" The young man tossed Treize the bag, who caught it with ease. "Don't you want the flashlight, too?"

"There are some glow sticks in the first aid kit. " The professor was already opening the bag, removing one of the neon green sticks and activating it."You keep the light, since you probably will have to leave the cave to make those calls."

Treize was right. When Milliardo checked his cell phone he didn't get any signal at all. "I'll be back in a bit."

In the dim light of the glow stick he could see the professor kneel down next to the boy before he turned to leave the cave.

"Can you hold this for me?" Treize passed the stick on Logan then pulled the thin silvery heat blanket from the backpack and draped over the kid's body. Next he opened a can of coconut water.

"Drink slowly, or you might get sick."

"Thanks."

"I'm going to check your leg now," The professor explained as he slowly peeled away the blanket. "Don't look, okay?"

He wasn't sure how bad the wound was but the last thing he needed was for the kid to pass out on him now. But when he held the light closer and got a better look he realized that it wasn't as bad as he had feared. The leg was broken, no doubt about it. He could see the swelling and lump where the bone had snapped and was pressing against the flesh. But the wound wasn't open and he couldn't see any blood, except for a few dried trickles that had come from some scrapes on the boy's shin.

"Wow! Is that my bone sticking out? How are they going to fix that? You think they will put some screws in, like Frankenstein?"

Treize almost huffed in amusement. _Boys! _"I thought I told you not to look." He carefully pulled the blanket back in place.

"Why?"

"Never mind. How is the water?"

"It's okay."

"I know it's not the best tasting stuff on earth, but it's good for you. It has a lot of electrolytes."

"Electro whats?"

"Electrolytes, they replenish your body when you are dehydrated," Treize explained.

"Ah, like the stuff my dad drinks after he works out. Oh man!" That seemed to remind the boy of something. "I'm going to be in trouble, aren't I?"

The professor smiled softly. "I wouldn't worry too much. Somehow I have the feeling it won't be as bad as spending the night down here, alone. You must have been terrified."

"But I wasn't."

"Terrified?"

"No, alone." the kid replied. "He was with me the whole time."

"He?"

"The big dog. Didn't you see him? He ran off just before you and your friend found me."

The professor blinked. "No, I'm afraid I didn't see anything."

"But I think I might have." Milliardo returned as if on cue. "The sheriff and the paramedics are on their way," he told his lover before turning his attention back to the boy. "Is he your dog?" he asked as he crouched down by the edge of the drop.

Logan shook his head. "I never saw him before until yesterday. I was playing at the edge of the creek when I noticed him. He didn't look like a stray but there was nobody with him. So I thought he might be lost and I followed him all the way to this cave. I never even knew there was a cave like that here. When I fell down the ledge and got hurt he came back and he stayed with me the whole time. I wonder where he went?"

"Where did he go, did you see?"

"Further into the cave I think."

"Milliardo, maybe you should go check for the ambulance. Make sure they find their way," Treize suggested.

"Probably a good idea." The young man nodded as he got back on his feet. "They should be here any moment now.

#

Leaving the professor and the boy behind Milliardo once again made his way back to the cave entrance. He turned off the flashlight, stuffing it into his pocket as he pulled himself out of the hole. The young man was still heading back to where they had parked the Ferrari when he heard the first sirens approaching. It was the sheriff's vehicle followed by two state trooper cars that arrived first. They pulled in next to the sports car and Otto excited the jeep followed by a man and a woman in their late 30s.

"Milliardo. This are Mister and Misses Blaine," he explained.

"Ma'am, Sir?" They exchanged brief handshakes.

"You found our boy?" the woman asked, worry edged into her face. She looked like she hadn't been sleeping all night and both she and her husband had dark circles under their eyes. "Is he alright?"

"As alright as he can be."Milliardo told her with a reassuring smile. "He broke his leg; other than that he seems perfectly fine."

"Thank god. And thank you."

"The ambulance is coming from Sunnybrook. They will be here in about 10 minutes," Otto explained. "Can you show us the way?"

"This way!" Milliardo nodded as he took the lead.

"How did you manage to find him anyway?" his friend wanted to know. "I mean what prompted you to stop here?"

The young man shrugged. "Believe it or not, but I noticed a dog at the side of the road. We stopped and followed it and it led us straight to the cave where we first found Logan's bike and then him."

"A dog?" the sheriff echoed. "Whose dog?"

Milliardo shrugged. "I don't have the faintest idea. It came, it left..."

"Weird. Oh well."

"Here we are. Watch you steps."

The young man gestured at the entrance to the cave. Logan's bike was now leaning against the large boulder where he had put it earlier. Just then they could hear the blaring sirens of the ambulance on the interstate.

"I will go direct the paramedics," one of the state troopers volunteered.

###

A good thirty minutes later, while the rescue unit was preparing to lift Logan Blaine out of the ditch and take him to the ambulance, Milliardo was exploring the deeper regions of the cave. The boy had said that's where the dog had run off to when they arrived.

According to Otto this cave was actually part of a large system of tunnels that once used to be an ore mine, but had been closed down and sealed off many decades ago. Apparently someone had removed the steel grate that was used to secure this part of the tunnels, but there was no way of telling when or why? But maybe there was more than just one way in and out?

Letting the beam of his flashlight sweep over the ground in front of his feet, Milliardo moved slowly. Behind him he could hear the voices of the sheriff and the paramedics. Treize was suggesting for several men to lift the stretcher with the boy up while a second team up on the ledge was going to take it from them. It could be done with six or seven people without the use of any special rescue equipment.

Suddenly the light caught something on the floor that didn't appeared to be rock. It was too smooth and almost ivory colored. He moved the flashlight beam slightly and froze when the hollow eye sockets of a skull seemed to stare back at him.

Milliardo swallowed. "Treize! Sheriff...Otto? Get over here, I think you need to see this!"

* * *

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks to Kt for proofing this story.

'The Road Trip' is a short story set in my Ghost Detective universe to celebrate June 13th, which coincidentally in this universe is also Milliardo's birthday. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**The Road Trip  
**  
Chapter 4

"Yes, it's definitely human." Squatting next to the bones, Otto studied the skull thoroughly from all sides without actually touching it. The head belonged to what appeared to be a complete skeleton.

By now Logan Blaine and his parents were on the way to the hospital and the state troopers had left to contact anyone who might not have heard yet that the search for the boy had been called off.

"Doesn't look like it is from an adult," Milliardo remarked.

The sheriff looked back at him over his shoulder. "Yeah that's what I noticed too. At first I thought it might be some homeless guy who lived and died here, but..." He left the rest of the sentence hanging in the air.

"A child, probable not even in his teens," Treize agreed. "See the sutures on his skull. They haven't closed very far yet. It's one of the markers used to determine the age of a skeleton. And the teeth are another one. This one still has not all of its adult molars. "

"How do you know so much about that kind of stuff?" His lover gave him a curious look.

"Long nights in front of the TV with Alexander, while you are at work."

"Then what about this?" Milliardo gestured at a second pile of bone directly next to the child's. And this one clearly were not human. "Canine?"

"A wolf?" Treize shrugged. "It looks large enough. Or maybe a feral dog that lived here? Perhaps the unfortunate child found the cave and decided to explore it...just like young Logan did?"

"No, I don't think so. That wouldn't explain why they both died curled up next to each other."

As Milliardo prodded the bones with the tip of his shoe they shifted slightly and then there was a clank as though something metallic hit the ground. The young man bent down, pointing the beam of his flashlight at something like a dark ring of leather...or what was left of it. A dog collar. Milliardo swallowed as he noticed the little metal tag still attached to it. When he let his fingertips run over its surface he could feel some indentations, something like engraved letters. And without ever looking at them the young man knew what those letters spelled out.

"Don't touch anything" Otto reminded him. "This might be a crime scene. I'd better get a forensic team in here."

"Of course. Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

"I'm not an expert, but these bones look like they have been here for some time," Treize surmised.

Otto nodded. "I am planning on going over old missing person's files once I get back to the office. I know we had a few people disappear here and there - mostly because they choose to disappear- ,but I don't remember any missing children other than Logan."

"Chris Wayne!"

Three heads snapped around in unison. A man in his 40s, wearing the uniform of the state police - Milliardo remembered seeing him earlier - was standing behind them.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle anyone. We couldn't reach you on your cell phone, Deputy. I just wanted to let you know, all the volunteers have been sent home. I suppose you won't be needing us anymore, either."

"Umm...No, I don't think so. Thank you for your assistance," Otto told him. "What was it you said earlier?"

"Chris...Christopher Wayne." The trooper stepped closer, taking a long look at the bones on the ground. "When I heard you discovered a body, I figured it might be him you found."

The deputy frowned slightly. "I'm sorry, but that name doesn't ring any bells."

"I'm not surprised. It was a bit before your time. Chris disappeared in the winter of 1975, I believe."

"Disappeared?" Milliardo echoed.

"Yes, he just never came home one day. Or that's what was the story. Everyone assumed he had run away, I guess. Everyone but me, that is. Chris and I were best friends you see. If he had been planning to run off, I am sure he had told me about it."

"Then what did YOU think happened, Officer?" Treize wanted to know.

"I'm not sure really. Somehow deep inside I had always hoped I would see him again. But not like this."

"Could you tell us a little more about it?" Otto asked. "I mean what made you think right away it could be him when you heard of this body?"

The other man shrugged. "I'm not sure. Maybe it was more where the body was found."

"Oh?"

"Chris' father used to bring us out here "camping". We would explore the woods, made campfires and sleep in a tent. It was far enough from town to make it seem like we were in the wilderness but close enough to turn around and go home if the weather acted up or one of us got homesick."

"Sounds like a nice guy, Christopher's father," Treize remarked.

"Yeah, I suppose," the trooper replied but there was something in his voice that made the professor raise an eyebrow.

It didn't go unnoticed by Otto or Milliardo either. The two of them exchanged a long look before the deputy asked.

"He was not?"

"Oh no, that's not how I meant it. You see the Wayne family was your average American middle-class family with a nice house, a nice car... And Mister Wayne was a nice enough guy most of the time. I mean, he even coached the little league baseball team for a couple of years. But spending as much time with Chris as I did, I also witnessed another, darker side of him, a side most people never got to see."

"He was drinking?" Treize guessed.

The other man nodded. "It wasn't often, but when he did get drunk he could be mean... really mean. The next day he was back to his normal self and regretful. He would bring home presents to show how sorry he was. That's how Chris got Lucky."

Otto frowned slightly. ""Lucky in what way?" he asked.

"No I mean Lucky, his dog. His father brought the puppy home one day, shortly after Chris' 8th birthday. The two of them were inseparable from that day on. That's another reason why I didn't believe the runaway story. Lucky was still waiting at school for Chris the day after he supposedly left home. There was no way in hell that he would have gone anywhere without that dog."

"Officer," Treize wanted to know. "When you said Mister Wayne could be 'mean' do you mean violent?"

The trooper gave a little, uncertain shrug. "I had never seen it myself but I've heard he beat his wife on occasion. But Chris always insisted that his father never touched him. But then, one time might be all it took."

"Are you suggesting Mister Wayne might have killed his own son and dumped his body here?"

"I don't know. I surely hope not, and I would like to think that if he did hurt him it was an accident."

"Thank you, Trooper...?"

"Brown, Keith Brown. Umm...Deputy, I know this is totally out of my jurisdiction, but would you mind keeping me in the loop? I really would like to know what happened to my friend."

"Certainly," Otto promised the man. "And thank you for your help. At least this will give us a starting point for our investigation."

"Thank **you**."

####

"So, I take it you two will be on your way now?" Deputy Otto asked his friend as he accompanied them back to their car. He had closed off the cave, made several calls, and was now waiting for the medical examiner and a forensic team to arrive.

"No, actually," Milliardo replied. "We decided to stay in town over night."

"We did?" Treize asked, a touch of sarcasm in his voice.

"Well, it is getting late anyway and it's not like we are in a hurry." The young man turned toward Otto. "You do have a hotel in town, I assume?"

"Yes, of course. Say, in that case would you mind coming by the sheriff's station later on? I will have a report typed up for you to sign."

"Sure. Why don't we check into the hotel, grab something to eat and then drop by the station on our way back?" Milliardo gave his lover a questioning look.

The older man nodded in agreement. "Sounds good."

"Alright, then I will see you later."

With a last nod at the deputy the two men climbed into the Ferrari.

"Remind me, Dear," Treize asked as he put on his seatbelt. "Exactly when and why did WE decide to stay in town overnight?"

"Oh, come on. What are a few hours delay in a case like this? Besides, YOU were the one who promised Logan that we would visit him at the hospital before we left, remember? So I didn't think you would mind."

"I don't," the other man confirmed. "My mother on the other hand...she is already starting to wonder if there is a reason why I haven't introduced you to her yet."

"You mean aside from the fact that I most certainly won't be giving her the grandchildren she is hoping for ?" Milliardo turned and pulled back onto the interstate.

"Milliardo, that really wasn't fair. She will accept you much easier than your father has accepted me."

"I'm sorry. You are probably right, but that doesn't make me any less nervous. You are her only son. She has high hopes for you and not to mention, she depends on you to provide her with the heir to the Khushrenada family. Besides, what if I don't measure up to her expectations?"

Treize gave a bubbling laugh. "My sweet little Milliardo, how naive you are. No lover or bride in the world ever measures up to a mother's expectations for her son."

"If this was supposed to make me feel better, it didn't work." Milliardo tried hard not to laugh.

####

"Otto ?"

Looking up from his desk the deputy waved for his visitors to step into the room. He was alone in the sheriff's station, and on the phone.

"Yes, thanks Doctor. I will take care of that right away. Hopefully that identification can be made quickly. I will talk to you in the morning. Good bye now."

He put down the phone and gestured at the chairs across from his desk. "Sorry about that. That was the Medical Examiner. He will work through the night examining the bodies. Hopefully we will know more in the morning. So, anyway, you found a hotel room to your liking?"

"Yes, we did. We are staying down at the River's Edge", Milliardo told him.

"You know, I wasn't even thinking. You could have spent the night at my place. I do have a guest room. And I don't think Kylie would have minded."

"Kylie?" The blond echoed. "You are married?"

"Oh no." Otto laughed. "'Kylie is my cat. She thinks she owns the house but she graciously allows me to reside with her."

"Thank you, Deputy, but the hotel will do just fine." Treize assured him. "Won't it, Dear?"

"Of course." Milliardo nodded. "So, what about those papers you needed us to sign?"

"I'm afraid I haven't even gotten around to writing a report yet," the other man admitted. "I have been on the phone most of the time since I returned to the station."

The professor nodded understandingly. "How about if you come back tomorrow morning?"

"That would be great. I'm sure..." Before Otto could actually finish his sentence the door to the station opened again and a man in his late 60s with gray hair and pale green eyes walked in.

"Sheriff?" He inquired.

"I'm sorry Sheriff Hubert is out of town. Can I help you?"

"I take it you are in charge, then? I'm Frank Wayne. From what I've heard you have found my son, Christopher. Can you explain to me why I had to find out about it from one of the neighbors?"

Otto bit his lip. This was not how he had wanted to handle this.

"Mister Wayne, why don't you have a seat so we can talk? Truth to be told, we are not 100% sure yet the remains we found belong to your son. Oh by the way, these are Mister Peacecraft and Mister...Khushrenada. They were the ones who found the body in the cave."

Wayne gave the two men a brief look and a nod before turning back toward the deputy.

"I heard you found the body of a child AND a dog. I'm sure you know from your reports that Christopher disappeared together with his pet."

_Sometimes I forget how fast gossip spreads in this town._ "I know, Mister Wayne but until the Medical Examiner confirms the identity..."

"I assume he will need these for the identification?" The man pulled a large manila envelope from the bag he was carrying, holding it out over the desk to the deputy. "My son's dental records," he explained.

"And you kept those on hand all those years, how convenient," Milliardo remarked.

Wayne gave the young man another brief look. There was no indication whether or not he had noticed the sardonic edge in his voice.

"When Doctor Carlson, our family dentist closed his practice a few years back he asked me if I wanted those records. I figured I would keep them with Christopher's other things and when he would come home one day he could decide what to do with them."

"So, it had nothing to do with you expecting the body to be found sooner or later?"

This time the glare Milliardo received was clearly venomous.

"Are you suggesting I knew my son was dead; that I possibly had something to do with it?"

"Mister Wayne, looking through the old case file of your son's disappearance I saw someone had noticed that there had been several of what today would be 'domestic disturbance' calls at your house," Otto remarked calmly.

"I did not kill my son!" The gray-haired man shouted. And then, much quieter he added. "I never ever touched him."

"Unfortunately that's not something that can be said for your wife, can it?" The professor's voice left no question as to how he felt about that.

Wayne's shoulders slumped and he cringed. "I was... not myself back then," he whispered. "I couldn't help it. I just couldn't stay away from the booze. I tried and it would work for a week or two but then I was right back at it. I was so angry when I was drunk, every little thing set me off..."

"Is that what happened?" Otto asked. "Did Chris do something that 'set you off'? Perhaps you didn't mean to hit him..."

"No! No, for god sake! That's not what happened."

"Then, what did happen?"

The older man sighed. "I am sure that's in your files too, but if you want to hear it again... Christopher had gotten himself into trouble that afternoon. I grounded him, but when his mother went upstairs to call him down for supper he was gone. Must have climbed out of the window, I guess. When he wasn't back by midnight we started to get frantic and called up all of his friends, the hospitals and then the police."

"Alright. I will take these..." Otto gestured at the dental records. "to the Coroner's office. I think we should know in the morning if the body found belongs to your son or not. And maybe by then we will also have an idea how he died."

Wayne nodded. He looked tired, very tired. "Thank you. You have my phone number in your records. We never changed it. I never moved either. Not even after Elisabeth died, four years ago; just in case he would come looking for us some day." He nodded briefly at Treize and Milliardo then turned to leave.

"Mister Wayne," Treize called after him. "If you don't mind me asking... Do you remember what your son got into trouble for?"

"I caught them sneaking cigarettes from his mother's purse."

"Them?"

"Him and his friend, Keith...umm...Brown I believe. I yelled at them, yes. But I did not hurt my son, didn't even spank him. I just sent him to his room and told him he was grounded until Christmas."

"Okay, thank you."

He gave another nod and walked to the door. His hand already on the knob he paused and turned one more time. "You know, I haven't had a drop to drink since that night Christopher went missing. Isn't it terrible to think that's what it took for me to realized I needed help?"

Silence hung over the station like a thick dark cloud long after Wayne had left. Finally Otto cleared his throat. "I almost feel sorry for him."

"I don't know," Milliardo replied. "But for some reason I believe his story."

"Which of course would bring up the question who else could have killed the boy," the deputy mused.

" What do you think?" The blonde asked with a gaze at his lover.

The professor didn't answer. Eyes slightly narrowed, his face an expression of contemplation, he seemed to be reflecting on some kind of problem.

"Treize?"

He finally snapped out of it. "Sorry. What did you say?"

"Nothing important." The blonde shook his head. "But you seemed to be a thousand miles away. What's wrong."

"I'm not sure." Treize replied thoughtfully. "But I think... no I'm convinced we are missing something."

"Missing what?" Otto wanted to know.

"Well, we have been assuming that if the boy didn't run away then he must have been murdered. But there are other possibilities, aren't there?"

"Hmm..."the deputy grunted. "You are not suggesting the kid committed suicide?"

"That thought didn't even cross my mind." Treize shook his head. "But if you don't mind, I would like you to call the hospital were Logan Blaine is and see if they could run a couple of tests for us. And I think it might also be a good idea to have another talk with Trooper Brown."

* * *

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks to Kt for proofing this story.

'The Road Trip' is a short story set in my Ghost Detective universe to celebrate June 13th, which coincidentally in this universe is also Milliardo's birthday. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**The Road Trip  
**  
Chapter 5

"Of course not, Mother. Now you are just being silly."

Treize was sitting in the living room area of their hotel suite, talking on his cell phone, when his lover walked out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but a towel around his hips.

"Of course Milliardo is looking forward to meeting you. What would make you think otherwise? Yes, we will see you tomorrow. Goodnight!"

"What did your mother say?" The blonde asked as he searched his bag for a pair of boxers.

"She will be crushed if we don't make it for dinner tomorrow. Her words not mine."

"Oh no; we can't let that happen. I guess we will just have to make sure we get there in time." Milliardo smiled as he dropped the towel to the floor.

Treize raised one eyebrow. "Dear, don't you think you should at least have closed the blinds?"

The younger man shrugged. "If someone might be peeping and gets an eyeful of something he didn't expect it's not my fault, is it?"

The professor gave a theatrical sigh. "Young people these days, no shame at all."

His lover burst into laughter. "And you are so much older than me, aren't you?"

"Maybe not that much older," Treize smirked. "Just so much more mature. Alright, I think I will take a quick shower, too. How about ordering us a little nightcap in the meantime?"

"Okay, Mister Maturity," Milliardo grinned.

"Just do me a favor and put on some clothes before you open the door for the room service."

The young man snorted in amusement as Treize disappeared into the bathroom. He slipped into his boxers and his favorite pair of lounge pants before reaching for the phone and ordering the drinks, cognac for his lover and straight bourbon for himself.

He was about to hang up when he thought of something. Milliardo checked his watch. It was almost 10 o'clock. _They wouldn't be asleep yet, would they?_

He dialed a number and waited. The phone rang twice then there was a quiet click indicating someone had picked up.

"Hello?"

"Quatre, its Milliardo."

"Oh, I didn't recognize the number."

"I'm using the hotel phone," the young man explained. "How are things going? I hope Alexander and Cabal are not giving you guys too much trouble."

"Not at all. Trowa just took them out for a walk around the block. So how is your trip going? Are you almost at the Hamptons?"

"Actually we are still in West Virginia."

"Wow, you didn't make it very far. What have you guys been doing? On second thought, don't tell me. I don't think I want to know."

"Get your head out of the gutter." Milliardo laughed. "Nothing like that." Then he grew serious. "Something happened...something I need to talk to you about."

"Oh?"

"Say, animals have souls too, right? So they can also become spirits can't they?"

"Have you been watching Devil Dog again?" Quatre joked.

"Seriously, Quatre. Something very strange happened." The young man was about to tell his friend about his odd dream and everything that subsequently happened when someone knocked at the door.

"Room service!" A voice announced.

"Hold on a second." Setting down the phone Milliardo opened the door to let in the waiter. He gave the young man a friendly nod and handed him a five dollar bill. "Thank you."

""No, thank you, Sir. Can I get you anything else?"

"Not at the moment, thanks."

"Enjoy your evening."

As the waiter left ,the blond curled up on the couch and picked up the phone again. "You still there? Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it. So what were you saying about ghosts and animals?"

"See, earlier today I had this weird dream..."

Quatre listened without interrupting as Milliardo told him what had happened.

"So, you are asking if what you think you saw is really possible or if you are just plain bonkers?" he said after the young man had finished.

Milliardo snorted. "No, I 'm quite sure I'm crazy."

"That, my dear is relative." Treize's voice was laced with humor as he stepped out of the bathroom, wearing one of the hotel's fluffy robes. "Besides, I believe it's those who lose their mind who are the last to realize it. Who are you talking to anyway?"

"Quatre. Hold on, I'll put him on speaker."

"Hello there," the professor greeted the young man on the other end of the line. "I take it Milliardo told you about our little adventure today?"

"He did," Quatre confirmed. "Somehow things always seem to happen where you guys are. Never a dull moment, huh? But anyway, I think he is right. It is quite possible that his dream was no different from those visions he had after reading Octavian's diary. Somehow, Milliardo I think you are becoming more sensitive to the spirit world. Maybe because of the time you have been spending with Alexander."

"But then..." Treize reached for his cognac sifter, settled down next to Milliardo and gently draped his arm around his lover. "... how do you explain that I wasn't able to see the dog at all? I spend just as much, if not more, time with Alexander, of late."

"That, indeed, is a good question."

####

Milliardo woke to find the bed next to him empty.

"Treize?" he called out. "Are you up already?"

There was no answer.

Frowning slightly the young man reached for the cell phone on his nightstand to check the time. According to the digital display it was exactly seven minutes before nine.

"Treize !" He called out again, but once again there was no reply.

Just when Milliardo was putting the phone down again a low buzzing alerted him to a text message he had just received. It was from his lover as he could tell from the sound.

"Are you awake yet?" the message read.

"Where are you?" The blonde texted back.

"About five minutes away, baring offerings in the form of fresh coffee and hot donuts," Treize replied. "Rise and shine, Dear."

By the time he made it back to the hotel Milliardo was in the bathroom brushing his teeth.

"Good morning." Treize nuzzled his lover's neck gently and affectionately.

The young man replied something that sounded like "Goooo...nging."

"You know," he added after he had rinsed his mouth. "They do serve breakfast here at the hotel."

"I know. But there was something I needed to check out."

"At the donut shop?"

"No, at the library. But they don't open until 10. But I figured the one place people do work early would be the local newspaper office."

"Alright! You are making no sense, but I'm sure you will explain it all to me."

"All in good time, Dear. " The professor told him. "Now grab your breakfast and let's get going. I'll drive."

"Wait I don't even get to sit down and eat?"

"Sorry, but your friend the deputy is expecting us."

"It's not even 9:30. He might not even be at the station yet."

"He is," Treize assured him. "I called to make sure. And according to him Keith Brown, the State trooper, is going to stop by on his way to work as well. So if we don't get there on time..."

"Fine!" Milliardo sighed as he reached for his late and pulled two glazed donuts from the paper bag. "Let's go."

###

Two sheriff's vehicles were parked outside the station when Treize pulled up about 15 minutes later. Inside they found Otto and a second deputy talking to an elderly couple that seemed in obvious distress.

When Otto noticed his friend he said a few words to his colleague, excused himself to the couple and gestured for Milliardo and Treize to follow him.

"Let's use the sheriff's office, it will be quieter," he explained as he led his visitors through a door across the room.

"Did something happen?" The professor threw a look back at the other people.

"Stolen lawn decoration. Someone snatched a couple of garden gnomes over night. Probably just a juvenile prank. I wouldn't be surprised if they would show up again in a day or two. But what can you do, every crime has to be investigated." The deputy shrugged as he gestured at the chairs across the desk. "Have a seat."

"I take it then missing children and murder are not on your list of daily occurrences?" Milliardo remarked as he settled down next to his lover.

"Oh god no. In fact this was the first missing child case I worked on. And if you ask me, I would be more than happy if it was also the last. And as for murder... Well, the judgment is still out on that one. I received word from the medical examiner this morning. He did in fact identify the remains as those of Christopher Wayne," Otto revealed, and that didn't really come as much of a surprise to anyone. "But he also told me what he didn't find... There were no signs of injuries on either the boy nor the dog."

"Ah?"

"I recognize that sound." Milliardo turned his head toward the older man. "That was a "just as I thought" 'ah'. You expected something like that, didn't you?"

"In a way," Treize admitted. "But of course there are numerous kinds of murder that might not leave any physical marks on the skeleton. But what about my other request, Deputy? Were you able to talk to the doctor who is treating Logan Blaine?"

"I was." Otto confirmed with a nod. "He told me that during the boy's examination they also ran blood tests as a precaution. With the permission of Logan's parents he faxed the results to me this morning. If you would like to take a look?" He handed a piece of printed paper to the professor.

"Thank you," Treize nodded. His eyes flew over the document until a specific number caught his attention.

"So, what is it?" Milliardo wanted to know. "What did you find?"

"As I expected, the carbon monoxide levels in Logan's blood were elevated," his lover explained.

"Not that elevated, though," Otto pointed out. "According to Doctor Kline it wasn't enough to seriously affect the boy even if we hadn't found him when we did."

"Well, I didn't really expect deadly high levels. After all we all know Logan survived the night in the cave and didn't show any signs of carbon monoxide poisoning when we found him," Treize agreed. "However, it shows that the gas was...**is** present in the cave. Its concentration can change over time due to a number of factors. And not to mention I came across some interesting facts earlier this morning when I visited the local newspaper office. When I explained what I was looking for they were kind enough to let me search their old archives."

"Facts related to the disappearance of Christopher Wayne 25 years ago?" The deputy asked.

"No actually I was looking a bit further back than that. About 50 years further to be precise. That's the time when the local copper mines were closed after an accident."

"What kind of accident?" Milliardo inquired curiously.

"A cave-in in one of the tunnels trapped a dozen miners. Even though a rescue shaft was dug immediately when the rescue teams broke through only 6 hours later all of the trapped miners were dead."

"Carbon monoxide?" Otto assumed.

"Very likely," the professor nodded. "Gas buildup has always been a big problem in mining, but especially carbon monoxide since it was so difficult to detect and so deadly. Miners often would take small animals like mice or canaries underground with them. Those creatures would be affected much faster than humans. So if they showed any sign of poisoning an alarm could be sounded. But of course," Treize added, "those methods were not foolproof and required that someone constantly kept a close eye on the animal. In any case reports of workers getting sick or dying reach back as far as the newspaper has records, and from what I understand calls to close down the mines were getting louder. The accident was just the straw that broke the camel's back."

"Alright, so you think...?" Otto started but was interrupted by a knock at the office door.

"Come in!"

The deputy who had earlier interviewed the couple with the missing garden gnomes stuck his head into the room. "There is a trooper from the state police out here. He says you wanted to see him."

"Yes. Can you show him in? Thanks Al."

Moments later Keith Brown walked into the office and deputy Al closed the door behind him.

"Is this a bad time?" The trooper asked. "Would you like me to come back later?"

"No, actually your timing couldn't be better. Please take a seat. Professor Khushrenada was just about to reveal how and when Christopher Wayne died."

Brown's head snapped around to Treize. "You know what happened?"

"Let's say I have a pretty good idea. But would you mind if I ask you a couple more questions?"

"Umm...no, of course not." The trooper pulled a chair closer to the desk and settled down. "Anything I can do to help."

"Mind telling us why you didn't mention that you were together with Chris the day he disappeared?" Treize wanted to know.

The other man shrugged. "I didn't see the significance mentioning it. Considering I spent every day with Chris I figured it was just assumed. Who told you?"

"His father," Otto replied. "I spoke to him last night. By the way it seems pretty sure that he didn't kill his son. Christopher's body showed no broken bones or any signs of a beating."

Brown nodded. "I'm glad to hear it."

"He also told us that you and Chris got in trouble that day," the deputy continued. "Something about sneaking cigarettes?"

Brown gave another nod. He didn't look very proud of himself. "Things were different back then. Cigarettes were everywhere; on billboards... in commercials... There was Joe Camel and the Marlboro Man...and they were cool. Being ten years old we wanted to be cool too. We didn't have older siblings who we could ask to buy us a pack and stealing one at the gas station crossed our minds, but we didn't have the guts. Then Chris remembered his Mother always having a pack in her purse. She was doing laundry that day in the garage. I was sent out to distract her while he was going to...well. Neither of us had realized that his father had come home early that day."

"So, what happened?"

The Trooper shrugged. "Mister Wayne sent Chris to his room then marched me over to our house and told my mother and my father what had happened. They were furious. My parents have always been pretty liberal in raising me and my brother. They didn't believe in corporal punishment. But that day my father told me that if I was going to put only one foot out of line between then and Christmas he would forget his principals and I would get the spanking of my lifetime. And there was no doubt in my mind that he meant it. I was grounded and sent to me room and that was it."

"But it wasn't the last time you saw Chris, was it?" Treize remarked.

"No," the trooper admitted hesitantly. "It was a few hours later when someone was throwing snowballs at my window. - It was a cold winter with lots of early snow that year- I looked and there was Chris."

"His father had let him go out again?"

"No, he probably climbed out of the window. We had done it before. He told me he had managed to grab a couple of cigarettes after all and he knew a place where we could smoke them."

"Did he tell you where?"

"No. I never asked. I told him to go back home. We were in enough trouble already. I wasn't going to get myself into even more."

"He called me a wuzz, I told him he was a jerk and he left. That's the last time I saw him. I assumed he was going back home, especially since it had started to snow again. The next morning he wasn't waiting for me at the corner to go to school together and I assumed he was still mad at me. But later that day I was called into the principal's office. The sheriff was there and Chris' parents. That's when I found out he hadn't come home the night before. Or so they said. I mean, after school I saw Lucky waiting on the other side of the street as he always did, and I was quite sure Chris wouldn't have left him at home."

"You are still insisting that you saw the dog that day?" Otto asked. "Although nobody else could verify that."

"I know what I saw."

"Maybe you saw a different dog that looked like Lucky. Or maybe you are just mistaken about the day?" the Deputy suggested.

Brown shrugged. Then he looked to the professor. "So what's your theory about what happened to my friend? Who killed him?"

"I don't think anybody did," Treize replied calmly. "I believe it was nothing but a very unfortunate, freak accident. After quarrelling with you Chris and Lucky probably went to the cave which he might have discovered during one of your camping trips. They were safe from the elements and moved deep enough into the cave to be warm. He might, or might not, have smoked his cigarettes, but he probably soon felt tired and decided to take a nap before heading back home for dinner. Unfortunately they never woke up again, for the cave was the home of a deadly killer called carbon monoxide."

The trooper frowned. "How can you know?"

The professor told him about the blood test on Logan Blaine and his discoveries at the newspaper office.

"But still..." For some reason Otto didn't seem convinced yet. "Logan Blain had only minimal levels of carbon monoxide in his blood."

"I know." Treize nodded. "But we have to remember the circumstances were very different. To begin with, perhaps the concentration of the gas has lowered to begin with over the past 30 years. Logan also never made it deep into the cave. We found him closer to the entrance where more fresh air was circulating. But last but not least...Remember, it was snowing."

"Yes?"

All three men looked at the professor questioningly, none of them quite sure what he meant by that remark.

"The entrance to the cave is low to the ground as we know, and not very large. It's very easy for it to become covered by a snowdrift. Snow is a very good insulator, as you might know if you ever have built a snow igloo as a child. If the entrance to the cave was covered, then the gas inside would have built up over night, just as it did when those miners got trapped in one of the tunnels. Like I said," Treize said somberly. "It was a freak...very freak accident."

* * *

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

Thanks to Kt for proofing this story.

'The Road Trip' is a short story set in my Ghost Detective universe to celebrate June 13th, which coincidentally in this universe is also Milliardo's birthday. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**The Road Trip  
**  
Chapter 6

Trooper Brown was waiting in the parking lot by his vehicle when Treize and Milliardo left the sheriff's station maybe ten to fifteen minutes after him. They had signed the report, said their good-byes to Otto and promised to come by on their way home.

"Umm...I was wondering if we could talk for a moment?" The trooper slowly approached the Ferrari.

"Yes, of course." Treize nodded. "What can we do for you?"

"Actually I really just wanted to thank you. Not only did you find Chris so that he can finally be put to rest, but you were also able to reconstruct what happened. Knowing that Mister Wayne didn't kill his son takes a load off my shoulders. But I still can't help but wonder if there is anything I could have done..."

"Surely nobody could and would blame you for what happened."

"Nobody but myself," Brown corrected somberly. "Maybe if I had gone with him that day...?"

"If you had gone with him," Milliardo replied quietly. "You both would probably have died."

The other man sighed. "What if I had followed Lucky when I saw him outside the school? If he was still alive the next day, maybe so was Chris? Maybe he could have been saved?"

Treize exchanged a long look with his lover. A decision was made right then and there. Then the professor eyed the store sign of the "Java Plantation" across the street. "Do you have time for a cup of coffee, Mister Brown?" he asked.

"Yes, sure. But please call me Keith."

"Very well then, let's go sit down and talk a bit more."

#

A few minutes later the three men were settling down at one of the table on the patio each carrying a drink which Trooper Brown had insisted on paying for.

"To get back to where we left off..." Treize said after a sip from his mocha. "I'm quite convinced that both Chris and his dog didn't survive the first night in the cave."

"So, you too are thinking I'm confused or lying about seeing Lucky at the school the day after."

"No, no," the professor shook his head. "That's not at all what I'm saying."

The trooper frowned. "Then what exactly **are** you saying? If Lucky died the night of the 12th, how can I possible have seen him the next day, unless..." He looked at Treize, leaving the rest of the sentence hanging in the air.

"Let's put it this way..." Milliardo jumped in. "Have you seen Lucky recently?"

Brown's eyes went from the young man to Treize and back to Milliardo. He seemed to be trying to figure out if the two men were joking.

"It's alright," Milliardo assured him. "You see, I did see him. In fact it was Lucky who led us to the cave. And apparently it was also him whom Logan Blaine followed into the tunnels."

"But...?"

"I think he might have been trying to guide people to his master's remains for the past 35 years, starting that day you saw him outside the school."

"But why didn't anyone else see him?"

Milliardo shrugged. "It's difficult to say. Maybe for the same reason he chose not to reveal himself to my partner, whatever that might be."

For a few moments the trooper stared into his coffee cup, lost in thought. Then he looked up again. "You might be right."

"About what?" Treize wanted to know.

"Numerous times when I was driving past the Oakwoods, I thought I saw something that could have been Lucky. But I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, remembering things from my childhood or so."

"No, I'm sure you saw what you saw."

"Who or what exactly are you guys; ghost hunters, like in those TV shows?"

"Ghost hunters?" Treize echoed, a trace of amusement in his voice. "I assure you we are not."

"No," Milliardo added. "I think Ghost Detectives would be more fitting."

###

Logan Blaine's hospital room was filled with so many flowers and balloons that it was difficult to find his bed.

They had called ahead to make sure it was alright to come by and Logan's parents had assured Treize that it was always okay for them to come.

The boy had recovered remarkable well and aside from the cast around his leg and a few scratches on his face and arms he didn't looked like he ever went through the ordeal he did.

"You look a lot better, kid." Milliardo told him as he handed Logan a neatly wrapped package. "But I understand you won't be riding your bike and running around in the woods for some time. So maybe this will keep you entertained."

"Oh cool, can I open it?" He looked first at the blond then at his father sitting by the window.

"Sure, why not?"

Ripping away the red and gold paper the boy squealed in delight. "The new Harry Potter book! How did you now I wanted this?"

"I'm psychic, didn't you know?" Milliardo replied with a straight face while his lover and Logan's dad exchanged conspiratory smiles.

"Thank you for not bringing any more flowers," Mister Blaine declared with a smirk. " I think I'm in danger of developing allergies."

"That would be terrible now, would it?" Treize laughed.

Then Blaine turned serious. "Mister Khushrenada, could we have a word...about..." he gazed at his son then back at the professor, lowering his voice as he continued: "...what **else** was found in that tunnel."

"You mean the skeleton?" Logan blurted out.

"How did you hear about that?" his father wanted to know.

"I can read, you know. I was on the front of the newspaper this morning. But I could only read the title." The boy looked questioningly at Treize. "Was there really a skeleton in the cave with me?"

"Logan, that's quite enough! Mr. Khushrenada can we talk in the hall?"

The professor nodded. "Of course."

"You will be back, won't you?" Logan inquired. "I still need you to sign my cast."

"We will only be gone for a few minutes," his father assured him. And then as they left the room he added, directed at Treize. "For all his bravado, he is still only a child. I stayed with him all night because he was afraid to be alone..."

As the door closed behind the two men Milliardo pulled a chair closer to the bed and settled down.

"So, you like Harry Potter, huh?"

"You don't?"

"I have never read any of the books," he admitted. "But maybe I should check them out?"

"You should," Logan nodded.

There was a moment of silence before the boy asked. "Did you find him?"

"Find whom?"

"The dog? The one that stayed with me while I was trapped in the cave? You said you also saw him."

"No sorry. I'm afraid he was gone. But I am pretty sure he was not a stray."

"No I didn't think so either. He was wearing a collar."

"Right," Milliardo nodded. "I think he stayed with you that night because he knew you needed him by your side. But once you were safe he returned to where he really belonged."

"Then you think he is back with his owner now?" the boy mused.

Milliardo gave a soft, if somewhat sad smile. "I'm positive!"

* * *

The end

Author's note: Another story finished. Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing. Stayed tuned to more Ghost Detective stories in the future. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

FYI, I am in process of creating kindle files of all my finished stories. If you would like a copy drop me a line and let me know what story you are interested in. Those files can be read on kindle devices as well as on kindle for PC or kindle for phone apps.


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